1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a telephone apparatus with hearing assistance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A telephone apparatus with hearing assistance is known. In such a prior art telephone apparatus, an intensity of reproduced voice is increased by a user.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a prior art telephone apparatus with an intensity of the received voice controlled. An intensity of a voice produced by the speaker 11 from the received voice signal is controlled by a volume 12. However, easiness in hearing was not sufficient.
The aim of the present invention is to provide an improved telephone apparatus.
According to the present invention, a first telephone apparatus is provided, which comprises: a receiving portion for receiving a telephone signal and generating a voice signal from the received telephone signal; a frequency conversion portion responsive to a control signal for frequency-converting the voice signal; and a reproducing portion for reproducing the voice signal from the frequency conversion portion.
In the first telephone apparatus, the frequency conversion portion frequency-converts the voice signal by a predetermined frequency conversion amount.
In the first telephone apparatus, the frequency conversion portion is further responsive to a frequency conversion amount signal and the frequency conversion portion frequency-converts the voice signal in accordance with the frequency conversion amount signal. In this case, it further comprises a storing portion for storing the frequency conversion amount signal and ON-HOOK detection portion for detecting an ON-HOOK condition, and a control portion for storing the frequency conversion amount signal in the storing portion in response to the frequency conversion amount signal and erasing the frequency conversion amount signal in the storing portion in response to the detected ON-HOOK condition.
According to the present invention, a second telephone apparatus is provided which comprises: a receiving portion for receiving a telephone signal and generating a voice signal from the received telephone signal; a frequency conversion portion for frequency-converting the voice signal in accordance with a control signal; a reproducing portion for reproducing the voice signal from the frequency conversion portion; a circumference sound noise level detection portion for detecting a circumference sound noise level; and a control portion for generating the control signal in accordance with the detected circumference sound noise level.
According to the present invention, a third telephone apparatus coupled to a telephone network is provided which comprises: a receiving portion for receiving a telephone signal and generating a voice signal from the received telephone signal; a frequency conversion portion responsive to a control signal for frequency-converting the voice signal in accordance with a frequency conversion amount signal; a reproducing portion for reproducing the voice signal from the frequency conversion portion; a first storing portion for storing the frequency conversion amount signal; a communication condition detection portion for detecting a communication condition; a circumference sound noise level detection portion for detecting a circumference sound noise level; a second storing portion for storing the detected circumference sound noise level; a first control portion responsive to the communication condition detection portion and a frequency control signal for generating the frequency conversion amount signal, operating the frequency conversion portion, storing the frequency conversion amount signal in the first storing portion, and storing the circumference sound noise level in the second storing portion in a communication condition; a comparing portion for comparing the detected circumference sound noise level with the circumference sound noise level in the second storing portion; a second control portion responsive to the communication condition detection portion for reading and supplying the frequency conversion amount signal from the first storing portion to the frequency conversion portion when the detected circumference sound noise level is larger than the circumference sound noise level in the second storing portion in the next communication condition.